Chileshe Sampa Mwanza

Happy New Week

A sweet reminder from Facebook. I have lived many lives and this one as a talk-show host and presenter is one of my favorites.

The determination and drive of this young lady inspires me. She did not let her circumstances dictate how she lived and what she went for. Diving into the media industry with a Psychology and Gender Studies degree was so exciting.

And!

She conquered it. With over 19 hours a week on air, Reserch, Planning, Interviewing etc

I only realised I had the most hours of everyone at the station when the CEO Chisala pointed it out. This was the foundation on which this house is built on.

Thank you God 🙌🏾

Consumer Branding

I am customer of one of Zambia's fastest growing spice brands. Largely because of the price.
But while organizing my spice cabinet recently, something stood out.

The same sized packaging.

Different weights. Dramatically different weights, sometimes by as much as 35 grams.
A 90g pack and a 50g pack sitting side by side, same box, different price. Easy to miss if you're shopping in a hurry. I for one bought about 4 of these last time under the assumption that I was saving. I am probably not the only one.

Is it clever marketing? Absolutely! Is it transparent? That's the conversation we need to have.

Always check the grams, not just the price.

Back to School 📚
I am always excited about personal growth. Even after two kids, I don't think that's going to change
So here I am, pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing at ZIM.
September marked the beginning of this journey, three modules down. June exams are approaching, with three more modules to go.
By the grace of God, we will get there. 🙏
I am so excited for everything I am about to learn and the growth that comes with it.

To continuous improvement 🎓

Dressing up and hair has always been a form of expression for me.

What hair have I not done? Bald, colored, afro, large locs, short locs you name it.

Luckily for me, the marketing industry welcomes this form of self expression. One could even say it thrives on the individuality.

It could be a pop of color or the mixture of various textures. I love dressing up and showing up.

Whatever you do this week. Look your best my dear. Life is nicer when you feel and look your best.

I am a woman and a mother. 🤍

April is Caesarean Section Awareness Month.

My first child was a C-section baby. That could have been prevented with proper guidance and care. I was rushed to the largest teaching hospital in Zambia and there I could have died and lost my child. Luckily, I spoke up twice and this saved my life. The care I received after speaking up was amazing. I am deeply thankful for the doctors and midwives who tirelessly work to ensure we safely deliver our children and watch them grow.

At the same time, it’s important for women to be informed, so we can make empowered decisions about our births and understand how to reduce unnecessary C-sections.

How?

1) Prepare a birth plan.
2) Understand what informed consent means.
3) Learn the reasons for a C-section, the pros and the cons.
4) Prepare for both possibilities: natural birth and C-section.
5) Seek guidance from a trusted medical professional.
6)Prepare your body for birth.

Giving birth is a miracle. Giving birth through assistance is a life-saving science.

To every C-section mom. You are strong. You are divine.
You carried life, you endured. ni mwapusukeni (Translating to you survived) and here you are. You did that. 👏🏾

I just turned 31 🙌🏾🥹 I am not nervous or overly excited about this new chapter. I am calm, a stillness I can’t quite explain.

Unlike other birthdays, I didn’t plan or expect anything big for this phase. I realize now that you only attain that level of calm when you are safe in who you are as a person and in the people you have around you. Family, friends, work, none of which I take for granted.

This year, I pray that God continues to cover me in His embrace and that I grow in wisdom and in the fear of the Lord. I am so blessed to have reached this level. I know that it is not by might, nor by power. But, by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost that lives and abides in me. I know that I am good, and that everything works out for my good, no matter what. I am eternally grateful for my family and friends, unshakeable bonds that have proven to be more than just listening ears when I needed them.

I am excited for what chapter 31 holds and deeply grateful for what my thirties have already shown me. Time to enjoy this present day, because tomorrow is really not guaranteed.

#31

Stay The Course

A time in your life will come when you feel like you can finally buy the things you once missed out on. The expensive cars, the dinners, the trips, the clothes.

You’ll feel compelled to believe that you deserve to spend your money and fully enjoy your life and this might be true.

You should buy the things that make you happy, when you can truly afford them.
But certain money principles will outlast all of us. One of them is simple, money that you do not grow will not come back. Once you spend it, it’s gone.

Grow your money first. Then enjoy the fruits of that growth especially if you are a parent or over 30. Certain habits will hold you back in many ways.

Let your money work for you through long term, compounding returns.

Invest, build, then spend.

Pricing strategy is one of the most fascinating parts of marketing.

When setting a price, several questions come into play.

• What is the price point?
• Does it generate sustainable profit?
• Is it attractive to the consumer?
• Does it support the brand’s positioning?
• Does it communicate the product’s perceived and actual value?

Recently, I noticed this while buying my usual Oh So Heavenly shower gel.

For a while, the lowest price I found was K112. Then I walked into Choppies and saw it priced at K107 the lowest I’ve seen so far, compared to another store selling it at K130 (For different variants of the same product).

What drives these pricing decisions? Is it higher purchasing volumes allowing lower margins.

A strategy to drive foot traffic into the store? Competitive positioning move against other retailers Or simply differences in supplier agreements?

I painted a Yoni 🥝 (last slide)

This Womens month and also my not so little sisters birthday. I painted a beautiful picture of the most beautiful part of every woman’s body.

In celebration of womanhood and bringing awareness to Endometriosis awareness month. As the girlies, We spoke about how important understanding your body is. That pain shouldn’t be normalized and the tests we need to go for.

I am so proud of my circle. How expressive and curious we are. We promised to go for every single test and be proactive about our bodies.